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DO IT YOURSELF MYSTERY SERIES by Jennie Bentley

What is it with Realtors writing cozy mysteries? There are so many of them (myself included). Every Realtor I ever met said, “I could write a book.” I guess it is true. Lord knows, I had some crazy experiences as a Realtor. But Jennie Bentley, aka Jenna Bennett, does not have a Realtor as her protagonist, Avery Baker is a former textile designer turned home renovator with her boyfriend Derek Ellis. There is a Realtor in the books however. And because the book is told in the first person, you don’t get Avery giving a lot of description of herself. She does describe the Realtor in detail. A lot. Because she is Melissa, Derek’s ex-wife. I kept thinking that I knew this woman. And then it hit me. Remember back when Two And A Half Men was still good? Back when Charlie Sheen was still on it. For a while, Charlie had a girlfriend named Lydia who was a Realtor. (Played by actress Katherine La Nasa.) Melissa is Lydia. To a T. Melissa aside, the books, set in Maine, have a good size cast of well developed characters. Most importantly, they have some well written mysteries that will keep you guessing. Each book has it’s own unique home to be renovated and flipped (one for a reality show) and at the end some decorating/renovating tips. This is a must read series. ♥♥♥♥

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennie Bentley is the author of the New York Times bestselling Do-It-Yourself Home Renovation mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime, whileJenna Bennett writes the USA Today bestselling Cutthroat Business mysteries for her own gratification. Jenna is also the author of various forms of romance, from contemporary to futuristic, and from paranormal to romantic suspense, including the award-winning Fortune’s Hero, first in the Soldiers of Fortune series, and winner of a 2012 SFR Galaxy award for best Enemies to Lovers story.

A former Realtor® and renovator and current full-time author, Jenna/Jennie lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with a husband, two kids, an African dwarf frog, a goldfish, and a hyper-active dog. Originally from Norway, she has spent more than twenty years in the US and still hasn’t been able to kick her native accent.THE BOOKS:

Avery Baker was once a New York designer, but inheriting her aunt’s old Maine cottage has led her down a new career path home renovation. Now, with help from hunky handyman Derek Ellis, Avery starts learning the ABCs of DIY. But when the designer-turned-renovator finds clues that lead to a missing professor, she wonders if she can finish the house without getting finished off in the process.

Avery Baker and her boyfriend, Derek Ellis, are flipping a seriously stigmatized house rumored to have ghosts. Soon they’ll have even bigger problems-and this renovation project might haunt them forever.

Ex-New York designer Avery Baker left the bustle of the big city to start her own home renovation business in Maine. But as she renovates an old carriage house on behalf of a soon-to-be wed friend, she stumbles across a lifeless body-a person known all too well by the blushing bride. The small town is abuzz with big suspicions, and Avery realizes she must unravel a matrimonial murder.

Avery Baker was once a New York textile designer, but inheriting her aunt’s old Maine cottage has led her down a new career path-home renovation. Finding a property’s hidden potential has rewards and challenges-especially when a mystery surfaces from behind the walls of a centuries-old house on an island that has more than its share of deadly secrets.

Avery and her hunky handyman boyfriend are renovating a house belonging to a local news anchor who’s thrilled to be filmed as part of a home renovation show. But cable television fame proves fleeting when the man is murdered and Avery faces the task of nailing the killer. Fast.

Avery and her partner, Derek, are fixing up a cute little condo in homey Waterfield, Maine, hoping for a quick turnaround and some extra money. It seems like a simple project—and Avery is looking forward to using her big-city experience with small spaces.

But they didn’t expect to have their every move watched by the resident busybody in the condo, Hilda Shaw, who loves snooping on everyone’s comings and goings. When the busybody becomes a dead body, Avery suspects foul play. Soon she’s doing some snooping of her own—and it seems everyone in the complex has a secret. Could one of them be worth killing for? Avery needs to work fast, before someone decides to fix her…for good.

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DISCLOSURE

In accordance with FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, I would like to let everyone know that books featured on this blog were either provided by the publisher or author or were purchased by me or borrowed from the library. The books I received from publishers and authors were provided for review and no payment was received by me and did not influence my opinion of the material. I’ve made it very simple. If I can’t give it a good review, I don’t publish the review. Mine is only one opinion and I have been known to be wrong. Some author who worked hard doesn’t need me knocking their book.
♥♥♥♥♥ Absolutely Amazing. When I start adding +’s it is beyond amazing, too good to even categorize.
♥♥♥♥ I really, really enjoyed it.
♥♥♥ A good solid read
If it is ♥ or ♥♥ I just don’t review it.